The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 headphones excel in comfort, with a perfect score, and they are well-suited for air travel and office use due to their exceptional noise cancellation capabilities. They are foldable and include a cable, which could be beneficial for wired use and when battery life runs out during long trips. On the other hand, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds offer superior overall sound quality and are optimal for use during exercise thanks to their sweatproof certification and stability bands. They also have a feature set that includes wireless charging, low latency for gaming and watching TV, and an earbud design which is generally more portable than headphones. If you prefer in-ear comfort with advanced features, especially for active scenarios or mixed-media use, the Ultra Earbuds could be the better choice. However, for extended wear in quiet environments, such as long flights or workdays, the Quiet Comfort 45 might serve you better with their top-notch comfort and noise isolation. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Bose Quiet Comfort 45
Very good for phone calls
Best in class for air travel
Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Very good for music
Very good for gaming
Very good for TV and video
Very good for exercise
Key differences
Music
6.4/10
8.6/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for music, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is only fair.
Gaming
5.5/10
8.8/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for gaming, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.0/10
5.1/10
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is very good for phone calls, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.3/10
6.0/10
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is only fair.
TV and Video
5.8/10
8.1/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for TV and video, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Noise Reduction
10.0/10
8.9/10
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is best in class for noise reduction, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good.
Battery
22.5 Hours
6.5 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has 22.5 hours of battery life. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
8.5/10
9.0/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has excellent build quality, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has very good build quality.
"If you want a set of wireless over-ear headphones you can put on, deploy noise-cancelling on your commute or at your desk and largely extinguish the outside world for up to 24 hours, the Bose QC 45 has the edge over most of the competition at the price."
"Bose put the time in to fix the major issues with the previous earbuds, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are very befitting of its price point. While you might be tempted to save a few bucks and go with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II on sale, fight the urge. There are enough upgrades here to justify the newer model."
Get a great deal on the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Earbuds or Headphones guides you might be interested in
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
122,900
Recommendations made
18,435
Consumer hours saved
About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.